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Sara Furlong-Burr Interview 6/29/2013 6:02:02 PM
Sara Furlong-Burr, author of New Adult dystopian fantasy novels, discusses her book Enigma Black and the writing life! LTS: I love introducing my blog readers to authors who have a real passion for the art of storytelling. Today’s featured author, Sara Furlong-Burr is exactly this type of writer and her New Adult Dystopian novel Enigma Black has a following of fans waiting for the sequel! I’d like to begin by having you share a little information about yourself with our readers, Sara. What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
SFB: When I’m not writing, I can usually be found doing the not-so-fun stuff such as working at my day job as a legal assistant and cleaning up after my two children and our pets (three cats and a dog). As far as hobbies go, I enjoy working out in the yard, spending time with said children, shopping, reading, going to the movies, and relaxing near any large body of water.
LTS: You’ve had an interest in writing stories since you were a child. When did you decide to take your writing seriously and work to becoming a published author?
SFB: Honestly, I always likened the idea of becoming a writer to that of becoming an actress: a wonderful dream that’s never going to happen. Then, one day I woke up with this story in my head and these characters who wouldn’t leave. Finally, I decided enough was enough, and four years ago I began jotting down the things they were telling me. After much procrastination, Enigma Black was written and I showed it to a few people who honestly --or so they say -- thought it was a decent story. So, I figured ‘why not’ and went ahead and self-published it. Since then, I’ve gotten wonderful feedback from people who honestly like the story as much as I do, turning my once thought to be impossible dream into a more attainable reality.
LTS: I had a chance to read an excerpt from Enigma Black, the first in your planned trilogy and I must say, I do quite like your writing style! What was the inspiration behind this story and can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist, Celaine Stevens?
SFB: Thank you! I’ve gotten mixed reviews on my writing style and the way I set the book up. Most seem to like it, some people don’t like the whole switching from first to third person thing. It just goes to show you how subjective writing is.
I’ve always been a fan of dystopian settings and have a minor fixation with superheroes. I knew I wanted to create a storyline that was unique, but was also along the lines of George Orwell’s 1984, except with a likeable female protagonist. The story then more or less wrote itself. Sprinkle in some romance, action and superheroes and you have Enigma Black.
Celaine Stevens is a strong female protagonist who, after her family is murdered at the hands of a mysterious entity, vows revenge against their murderer. I tried to make her strong, yet vulnerable and relatable to the readers. When she’s offered the chance for retribution, she has a tough decision to make. One that stands to haunt her. However, she isn’t all doom and gloom. She’s also witty, with a sense of humor to give the novel some lighter moments. I’ve had several readers comment on how they’d like to be Celaine’s best friend and what a good protagonist she is.
LTS: Without giving away too much, can you reveal what’s in store for the readers when they crack open Enigma Black?
SFB: A little bit of everything, really. Enigma Black is a hodge podge of genres, including romance, new adult, political thriller, science fiction, dystopian, adventure, action and so on. Above all, it was always my intention for the book to be a fun read, an escape from reality, and I hope it translates to my readers that way.
Story wise, the book is about a girl named Celaine Stevens who loses her family at the hands of a mysterious, homicidal maniac who has been terrorizing the country. Vowing retribution, she tries to carry on with her life when, ten years later, she’s finally offered the chance to attain the vengeance she’s been obsessing over. However, there’s one catch: she has to leave everyone she knows and loves and cannot return back home. In essence this book is about the consequences of our choices and the lengths we go to for the ones we love.
LTS: The road to publication is difficult at the best of times. What made you decide to take the indie route and self-publish this novel?
SFB: I like the freedom going indie has to offer. There are no deadlines and no publishing companies to dictate how many books you need to put out. I believe that when a hobby -- like writing is to me -- becomes more like a job, it takes the fun out of it and the quality of the work suffers as a result. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be traditionally published some day, but going indie works for me right now. Plus the indie community is amazingly supportive and a pleasure to be a part of.
LTS: Is self-publishing something you’d recommend to other authors and if so, to whom?
SFB: Of course. I think anyone who has a dream of writing should have the opportunity to have their works read --after careful proofreading and with the proper work put into it, of course. However, I don’t believe the self-publishing route is for everyone. I know I spend a lot of time trying to market my work. This is time I’d like to be writing. For those people who don’t want to put in any time doing things other than writing, self-publishing is not the way to go.
LTS: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on the road to publication?
SFB: Never give up. I know it’s the generic answer, but it truly is the most important lesson one can learn. I can’t tell you how many time I wanted to ditch Enigma Black, whether it was because I was getting frustrated with the rejection letters or with the editing, but in the end, I’m glad I didn’t because the feedback has been amazing and has really fueled my writing.
LTS: Still on the subject of writing styles, are you a plotter or pantser? The readers would like to know if you tend to plot out your story line in great detail or if your writing is more organic with the characters and events unfolding as you write.
SFB: Oh, I’m a total pantser. There is nothing about me that is organized. If I do plot out the storyline, it’s only a sentence here and there about what I expect/want to accomplish with the plot and characters, but that’s about it. I find the words flow faster when I let them just come as they may rather than trying to stay within the confines of an outline.
LTS: Some authors meditate, others need to fuel up on coffee or listen to music. Do you have any rituals, ones that can be shared with the readers, that you must do before you hunker down for a writing session?
SFB: I honestly don’t have too many rituals. Basically, I start writing after my kids go to bed at night, as I prefer the room to be relatively quiet in order to think. Sometimes I’ll grab a snack and eat while I write, which explains why I tend to put on weight when I’m writing novel-length pieces. I guess something I do consistently is drink caffeinated beverages, mostly to keep me awake until quitting time at 1 or 2 in the morning.
LTS: At one time or another, most writers hit the wall and their work stalls because of the dreaded writer’s block. What do you do to get around or over this mental wall to resume writing?
SFB: I usually try one of two things. Either I walk away from what I’m working on for a day or two to gather my thoughts -- because I usually come up with my best ideas when I’m far away from a computer-- or I start another project. By starting another writing project, you’re still keeping your mind working with fresh, new material. I find that once I get in the groove with something else, my mind finds its way back to the original project.
LTS: Who is your favourite author and how has he/she inspired you to write or influenced your writing style or choice of genre?
SFB: I have several favorite authors, but the one who comes to mind the most is Ayn Rand. The Fountainhead is one of those books I could read, re-read, and read again without ever tiring of the story. I knew after reading it that I wanted to write a story like that: unique and captivating with dynamic characters. Ayn Rand’s work was passionate and true to herself and beliefs, and I’d like to think that mine is as well.
LTS: What do you foresee in your future over the next five years and do you hope to branch out from New Adult Dystopian into other genres? Can your fans expect a sequel to Enigma Black in the near future?
SFB: In five years, I see myself still plugging along and writing about a book a year. Perhaps I’ll be published the traditional way, perhaps I won’t. Either way, I’ll still be writing as I feel it’s as much a part of me as flesh and blood. I actually consider myself a genre jumper in that I don’t plan on writing only dystopian or new adult novels. I have an interest in romance (contemporary and historical), young adult, suspense, thrillers, mysteries, paranormal…the list goes on and on.
It’s hard to even fathom that I have fans or that there are people out there who are anticipating a sequel to Enigma Black. Every time someone sends me an e-mail, writes on my Facebook wall, sends me a tweet, or writes a review on either Amazon or Goodreads, I feel humbled. Yes, there is a sequel to Enigma Black entitled Vendetta Nation, which is due out this Fall.
LTS: Thank you so much, Sara for taking time out of your busy schedule to share with us! Catch you on Twitter!
